Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Who qualifies to submit dataset?

Any individuals (scientists, technicians, students, and others) who contribute to data collection and/or processing can submit data to the Hub. These individuals are referred to as data authors; they are bound by the data policy and principles of good scientific practice outlined in the research and scholarship policy of University of Cape Coast.

Are metadata required for all data sets submitted to Hub?

Metadata (e.g., geo-location of samples, date/time of sampling, full parameter names and units of measurements, etc) are required as part of the data submission procedure

Which language can use in datasets?

Dataset – including headers, comments and method descriptions - must be submitted exclusively in English. The only exception to this requirement are citations of articles not written in English.

How does the Hub assure data quality?

All data and metadata are vetted for correctness and scientific quality based on the data policy and standards of University of Cape Coast, Ghana. For data sets previously published in peer-reviewed outlet(s), the Hub assumes that the data set meets the quality control requirements of the outlet source; the correctness of unpublished data and information on the site is the sole responsibility of data author(s).

Are there any costs associated with publishing on the Hub?

The operation is currently covered by public funding, so data authors are not required to pay to submit data for publication on the hub. The Hub would appreciate any financial contribution for data submission by project for which funding is available for publication.

Can data authors make changes to published dataset?

Data authors can make changes to their data as long as the status of the data they have submitted is under review by the Hub. Change(s) to data sets is/are not allowed once the dataset is published. Data authors are required to provide addendum if they find errors in their published dataset.

Who are the host?

The Regional Oceans and Coastal Data Hub is hosted by Centre for Coastal Management (CCM), University of Cape Coast, Ghana.

Under which license are data made available?

By default, dataset are published under a Creative Commons license; some data sets may be published behind protected walls for administrative reasons; contact CCM to access to such data sets.

Are there any restrictions to data access?

The hub publishes as open access; data stored on the hub are thus freely available for download on the Internet. A few data sets are password protected for administrative reasons; contact CCM for access.

How does one cite dataset from the Hub in manuscript? (How to cite)

A data citation should contain: the authors (creators) the publication year the dataset title the publisher (this is XXX) and any other unique identifier (e.g. a DOI)